US Central Command said the US Army launched another series of missile strikes on facilities controlled by the Houthi group.
The attack was the fourth time in recent days that the US has directly struck the group in Yemen.
The strikes were launched from ships and submarines in the Red Sea and hit 14 missiles that the command deemed an “imminent threat” after a one-way attack drone was launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen and struck a Marshall Islands-flagged, US-owned and operated vessel, the Genco Picardy, in the Gulf of Aden in what the Houthis said was a “direct hit.” Central Command said in a statement posted on X late on Thursday afternoon:
Forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting US forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves.
Earlier, the US said it had returned the Houthis to the list of particularly dangerous global terrorists. The sanctions, which are being imposed in conjunction with the official listing, are designed to cut off the militant extremist groups from their sources of funding. However, despite the sanctions and the US and UK military operation, the Houthis continue to harass commercial and military vessels.
The US has also strongly warned Iran to stop supplying arms to the Houthis. Last week, a US raid on the merchant ship Doe intercepted parts of ballistic missiles that the US believed Iran was supplying to Yemen.
Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said Wednesday that the US would continue to take military action to prevent further attacks. He noted:
They are exploiting this situation to conduct attacks against the ships and vessels from more than 50 countries … around the world. And so we’re going to continue to work with our partners in the region to prevent those attacks or deter those attacks in the future.
Over the weekend, the Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile at a US Navy destroyer, but it was shot down. On Monday, the Houthis struck a US-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden and on Tuesday a Malta-flagged bulk carrier in the Red Sea.
The US responded on Tuesday by striking four anti-ship ballistic missiles that were ready for launch and posed an immediate threat to US merchant ships and naval vessels in the region. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Zografia. The vessel was damaged and no injuries were reported.
The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians and have threatened to expand attacks on US ships in response to American and British strikes on the group’s positions.
The Palestinian death toll rose to 24,285, according to Gaza’s health ministry. In Israel, about 1,200 people were killed in the 7 October Hamas attack that triggered the latest war, and about 240 people were taken hostage by militants.
